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Dear Women’s Basketball Fans:
It is with immense joy and even bigger gratitude that I announce my entry into the Swish Appeal family in the role of editor-in-chief!
Prior to Swish Appeal, I enjoyed two exciting years at Golden State of Mind: first, as a contributing writer/editor, and then in the capacity of associate editor of editorial content. In these roles, I was granted the freedom to expand the content beyond the lines of the court — using the Warriors as a peg through which to address important social issues of the day (in addition to providing the necessary on-court coverage).
Sports have had a unique influence in society and, in many ways, have been responsible for closing divides and opening minds. Whether we reflect upon Jesse Owens bravely competing in the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games under the gaze of Adolf Hitler and other Nazis, or the activism we see today from athletes, coaches, and commissioners who use their platforms to call attention to pressing social concerns like gun violence, racism, gender inequality/discrimination, sexual harassment/abuse, or the treatment of LGBTQ citizens, sports have generated important conversations which have fostered lasting change.
I wish to carry this perspective into my leadership at Swish Appeal by expanding and diversifying the content to include — in addition to exciting on-court coverage of the WNBA, women’s college basketball, and international hoops — greater analysis of teams, players, conferences, activism/philanthropy and other related off-court activities.
Some of my past articles that best represent the type of content I intend to bring to Swish Appeal include:
- 8 Women in Basketball You Should Know Way More About (Teen Vogue)
- Interview with Imani McGee-Stafford on sexual abuse, mental illness and suicide prevention (High-Post Hoops)
- “Just a Girl” in America: An open letter to Charles Barkley (Golden State of Mind)
Prior to gaining citizenship in SB Nation, I had amassed 10+ years of editorial experience (primarily in the financial news sector), and I hold a Master’s of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Goddard College and a Bachelor’s of Arts in Spanish and Journalism from the University of South Carolina.
I have been a fan of the W since the league’s inception in 1996! I saw the very first game that was televised, and I enjoyed attending Charlotte Sting games before the franchise, sadly, folded.
Aside from sports, I have some pretty artsy-fartsy leanings that I refuse to forsake for anyone, just as I’d never give up my love of basketball! And an important irony in my love affair with hoops is that I am 5-foot-short (on a good day — after lots of yoga)!
I would be remiss not to mention that my joy and gratitude over this exciting new opportunity are accompanied only by my inestimable honor at becoming the first woman to lead Swish Appeal: a community for women’s basketball.
It is an accolade I cherish and will always hold dear.
As editor-in-chief, I will do my very best to use my education, experience, and expertise to create a space for women’s basketball that elevates Swish Appeal and women’s basketball to new heights, while also fostering a vibrant community for women’s basketball fans — new and old.
The 2018 WNBA season starts May 6.
Are you ready?!
Cheers for exciting things to come!
Tamryn Spruill